Combined album and writing-desk



(No Model 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. A. HOLMAN.

COMBINED ALBUM "AND WRITING DESK. No. 543,209. Patented July 23, 1895.

" Witnesses. Inventor.

'4, van/45M m Attorney.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. A. HOLMAN. COMBINED ALBUM AND WRITING DESK.

No. 543,209. I Patented July-23, 1895.

Witnesses.

Attorney.

(No- Madel.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. W. A. HOLMAN. COMBINED ALB-UM AND WRITING DESK.

. NO. 543209. Patented July 23,1895.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. A. HOLMAN. COMBINED ALBUM AND WRITING DESK.

No. 543,209. Patnted JuIy ZS, 1895.

Witnesses. Inventor.

Attorney.-

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

WILLIAM A. HOLMAN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED ALBUM AND WRITING-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 543,209, dated July 523, 189

Application filed November 27, 1894. Serial No. 530,195. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. HOLMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the tion of a new article of manufacture in the form of a combined easel-album and writingdesk, and that end is accomplished by constructing the album-stand in such manner that it shall present the form of a box-frame of some depth, the front edge of the base of the frame containing the inclined base-rest upon which the album is supported by its back binding edge in a vertically-inclined position, the hinged front of the frame being a rest or support for the book when laid down horizontally in the act of throwing down the leaves one by one to look at the pictures, and when all are thrown down together the outer solid and smooth surface of the last leaf of the book thus resting on the opened hinged cover of the frame will present a horizontallyinclined surfacein suitable and convenient position for desk use, the rear of the boxframe being made deep enough to contain a rack or portfolio for paper and envelopes or pictures, and the album being hinged to the inclined base-rest and to the box-frame by the front edge or leaf of its binding edge in the manner hereinafter mentioned; and my invention consists in the novel construction of ,hinged cover of the box-frame.

the device and of several of its parts in detail, ashereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, showing the front hinged cover of the box-frame thrown down and the album eral section of the device, showing some of the album-leaves thrown down. Fig. 5 is a section showing the album construction, the inclined base-rest, and the textile hinge for the book andthe mode of securing the hinge to the box-frame.

A box-frame is constructed with a base A, a back ,B, opposite sides 0 0, preferably narrower at the top than at the base, and a front covering piece D hinged to the base A of the frame and adapted to be secured in place in a closed position by means of a lock E or other equivalent means. It will be observed that the box-frame has thus provided a considerable depth, the rear of which may be filled up with racks L L of any appropriate form or character to hold paper, envelopes, or pictures. Along the longitudinal front of the inner surface of the base A'is placed an inclined base-rest R, upon which the album F rests by its back binding edge m. I

The album is constructed, as usual, of thick leaves, having picture-frame openings, and is preferably of that class of such albums in which the leaves are divided and the parts flexibly fastened or hinged to each other by a strip of textile material, as indicated at n, that form being preferable in thisconstruction for the reasons hereinafter mentioned.

The album is hinged to the frame as follows: The album is composed'of a pack of leaves fastened to each other in series or sequence by a strip of textile material between each pair of leaves, as is well known, and each leaf is composed of two or more sheets of paper or pasteboard, between which the edge of the textile fastening strip is glued. In making my album the last of these leaves in the pack--t'. e., the leaf marked f in Fig. 5--is provided on one side with a textile strip S, which is brought under and fastened to the back edge of the leaf and thence to the upper and inclined surface of the base-rest R, preferably carrying around and under the said base-rest for greater security, and said baserest R is then permanently secured in place on the bottom A of the box-frame by nails, glue, or other appropriate means. To complete the album-hinge another strip-T of textile material is glued to the front side of the leaf f along the lower edge thereof and brought down and glued to the vertical inclined edge of the base-rest R (see Fig. 5) and thence to and along the lower inner edge of the cover D on the box-frame.

The whole exterior of the box-frame may be and is in practice covered with plush, and thus the textile hinge of the cover D is strengthened and relieved in part of the wear upon it in opening and closing. It will beobserved that the hinge of the album is thus composed of two strips, the inner one being exclusively for the album and the outer one serving by an extension thereof to not only hinge the album to the box-frame and the base-resubut toperform the function of a hinge between the box-frame and the cover D thereof. It will also be observed by reference cover is thrown down, as shown in Fig. 2, the

album presents a suitable and convenient writing-desk surface, and in this position ofthe parts the pockets or portfolio-flaps in rear of the box-frame are easily accessible. For

the purpose of viewing the pictures in the album on a horizontal line of vision the vertically-inclined position of the book maintains it in position while and until the leaves are thrown down one by one in succession.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new 1. A combined album and writing desk, consisting essentially of a box frame, having a base A, back B, and inclined sides 0, C, with a front and an outwardly inclined base rest R secured to the inner surface of the base A of the box frame; in combination with an al bum composed of a pack of leaves flexibly connected to each other at their binding edge and hinged to said base rest by a textile strip between the same and the outside leaf of said pack of album leaves; substantially as described.

2. In combination a supporting stand composed of the vertical back piece B and the horizontal base A, the outwardly inclined book rest R secured to said base, analbum composed of a pack of leaves flexibly connected to each other at the binding edge and a hinge between the said inclined book rest R and the outer leaf of the pack of album leaves whereby the book may be normally maintained in a vertically inclined position and be permitted to be opened and thrown down leaf by leaf or as a whole, for the purpose mentioned; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 24th day of Novemher, A. D. 189%.

WVILLIAM A. I-IOLMAN.

YVitnesses:

FRANK S. BUSSER, H. T. FENTON. 

